Review of the Redmi K50i: An Outstanding Mid-Range Smartphone

 (Revised: September 10, 2022)

PROS

The Redmi K50i's arrival has increased competition for the best smartphones under Rs. 25,000 in India. With the introduction of the Redmi K50i, the firm has signalled the revival of the K-series in India, nearly three years after the Redmi K20 series was released. All of that, according to the phone, is provided without considerably emptying users' wallets. The phone is priced competitively at Rs. 25,999.

Can the Redmi K50i justify its performance, like its rivals? Here are the results from our testing of the smartphone to determine if it can outperform other mid-range smartphones.

The contents of the box

• Redmi K50i handset (main unit)
• USB Type C Charging cable
• 67W Charging Brick
• SIM eject tool
• Quick start guide
• Warranty card
• Phone case

Design

A decent-looking smartphone, the Redmi K50i. It has a striking appearance with a slightly textured back and a large, rectangular camera housing. We are equipped with the Quick Silver colour option, which offers shimmering, light-responsive silver colour traces. Despite all the shimmers, its plastic rear panel and frame are easily resistant to dust and smudges.

There is a punch-hole cutout in the front's upper centre. The remaining bezels are tiny, although the phone's chin is quite substantial. Xiaomi has made sure that the smartphone is suitably secured with Gorilla Glass 5 on the front and an IP53 rating, which is only seen in a few smartphones at this price point.

Power and volume rocker controls are located on the right side. A fingerprint sensor is incorporated into the power toggle. Most smartphones in this price range do, however, include an in-display fingerprint reader. It also includes the IR blaster up top. There is also the headphone jack, which is absent from many contemporary phones.

Design preferences are essentially a matter of personal taste, therefore we'll leave it up to you. You should be aware that the phone feels sturdy and offers a strong grip. Despite having a flat frame, the rear panel has a little curvature that makes it easy to grab onto.

Display

The 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD screen on the Redmi K50i measures. It features a refresh rate of 144Hz. Additionally, the smartphone boasts variable refresh rate technology, which adjusts the screen's refresh rate (from 30Hz to 144Hz) automatically based on the content being seen by the user.

The colour reproduction, clarity, and sharpness of the IPS LCD screen are excellent. The brightness levels are also good. Simply expressed, the angles of viewing should have been better. We noticed the little hue and brightness variation while turning the phone to the side. It is possible to watch Netflix FHD videos and programmes thanks to the screen's support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision.

The brightness is typically 500 nits, which is more than adequate for daily indoor use. When you are outside in the sun, the display feels a little dim even with the brightness set to maximum.

There undoubtedly be some complaints about the Redmi's lack of an AMOLED screen. However, we must acknowledge how amazingly smooth the display is. Everything feels rapid when using a phone because there is no lag or stutter.

Processor

Performance-wise, the Redmi K50i performs superbly. Its MediaTek Dimensity 8100 chipset is capable of handling daily duties and multitasking with ease. High-end games are simple to enjoy without any issues. The Xiaomi Redmi K50i comes in two different configurations: 6GB / 128GB and 8GB / 256GB.

The Redmi K50i is one of the quickest smartphones in its class. You won't see any slowness when utilising your typical programmes. The lag-free, buttery smooth scrolling is the thrill in this area.

The MIUI 13 software experience, which is based on Android 12, is identical to that of previous Xiaomi phones. You can experiment with different personalization options, backgrounds, widget additions, and much more. There are a number of pre-installed programmes, some of which can be deleted but not all of which can.

Even at highest volume levels, the phone's two speakers, which support Dolby Atmos, produce clear and well-tuned sound. The primary speaker of the Redmi K50i is situated at the bottom edge, while the secondary speaker is at the top.

In an era where the majority of smartphones lack a 3.5mm headphone jack, the Redmi K50i does. Gamers will like this because they frequently choose corded over cordless earphones or headphones when playing mobile games.

Camera

A single camera is located in the front of the Redmi K50i, and three cameras are located in the back. The back arrangement includes the 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, a 16MP camera is situated on the front.

While the rest of the globe is slowly transitioning to the 50MP primary sensor, Xiaomi has stuck with employing a 64MP sensor, and we are not moaning about it.

The primary camera produces clean images with good dynamic range and colour. The colours were typically increased but not unduly saturated, making them more aesthetically pleasant.

In low-light conditions, the camera raises exposure to provide brighter images while lowering noise and grain. Photos seem a little blurry when you start looking for details, especially in the darker parts.

The 8MP ultrawide camera produces images with a slightly colder colour temperature and a subtle blue hue. The 2MP macro camera doesn't have autofocus, but when it does, it works nicely.

A front-facing camera with 16 MP does a respectable job at capturing details. Portrait mode does a good job at detecting edges.

Battery

The Redmi K50i has a 5,080mAh battery inside. With the refresh rate set to "Default" and the use case being somewhat average, the battery comfortably lasted a day while we were using the phone. We refer to mediocre activities as routine phone calls and text messages, social networking app skimming, viewing a few YouTube videos or Netflix programmes, etc. The phone comes with a 67W fast charger that charges the device quickly and recharges the battery.

Final Conclusion

The Redmi K50i excels in a few key areas. With no performance penalties, this smartphone can play mobile games at high frame rates. The battery backup is good, and the main sensor is reliable for daily image capture.

The K50i's two flaws are that Xiaomi chose an LCD screen over an OLED display and that the design is incredibly plain and fails to set it apart from other devices. The Redmi K50i is a capable smartphone all around that would be a good choice for anyone looking for a handset with solid performance, battery life, and camera skills.